Born in Colombia, jeweler Paula Mendoza
sees her relationship to her globally-gathered materials as a spiritual one. “When you see the green of an emerald, one can’t but think about how to capture it in a jewel,” she says. Her namesake line, which she began five years ago, focuses on combining raw natural elements with precious metals twisted into organic shapes to create the most singular of pieces. Her most recent collection, Caves of Wonder, is inspired by the throbbing energy of the caves of Northern Vietnam and all of the natural textures found within.